You can download a printable pdf file with Tips&Tricks from this link.

In order to achieve the best performance, make sure your Blips lens is well aligned on the camera.

When sticking the lens onto the smartphone camera, make sure that the interface between the film and the glass does not present any bubble. A warming up of the film, of few degrees, just before its application onto the glass can help its adhesion.

In order to improve the performance:

clean the glass from grease or dust

apply at temperature > 20°C; this helps the conformability of the film

press the lens against the camera with your finger

do not touch the adhesive bands often. Grease and dust affect their adhesive strength.

Gently clean the rear side of the lens from grease or dirt using water or soapy water on a cotton swab, if necessary. Avoid to touch the adhesive bands.

If you use a smartphone with camera near the corner (Iphones, for example), bend the part of the film with the writings (the longer side) around the edge. Clean up the frontal side of the smartphone where the film sticks from grease or dust.

To observe insects or objects in motion the Macro Plus and Macro lenses are usually the best options. Their deeper focus allows you to follow the subject under examination.

Maximal resolution (ability to see small details) can be achieved by using transmitted light through the subject you are observing with the Micro lens or Ultra lens (for example using prepared slides and a light source from behind)

You can cut the film using scissors, shaping BLIPS as you prefer. Note: the two sticky bands are meant to enhance adherence onto non-polished surfaces; the lens will always stick on the glass when the surface is clean.

The SMO App adjusts your device settings in order to use it with Blips. If your device does not support Android or IOS, or you do not want to install this App, you can easily use Blips with your favorite photocamera application, making sure that the subject you are examining is well illuminated. If possible, lock the autofocus and visualize the captured images on full screen.

If you illuminate your subject with the smartphone torch but the light is too much, you can stick on the torch one of the white bumpers inside the Blips sleeve in order to reduce the light intensity and make it more diffused.

The working distance is of about 6mm/10mm/20mm for the Micro/Macro/Macro Plus lenses, respectively. For the observation of planar subjects you can use one of the two provided sponges as mechanical support for the smartphone, when you have the Micro lens attached on your camera. Gently press on the sponge in order to find the best focal distance.

BLIPS REQUIRES LITTLE MAINTENANCE

Keep BLIPS on the camera for as long as you need; you can stick the BLIPS lenses on your camera or nearby for a whole day or more. When you do not use BLIPS for a long period of time, place the lenses back on their original card. Keep them in your wallet, bag, or anywhere you want.

Avoid to keep the lenses pressed for extended periods, for example, under the smartphone case (note: if the user wants to leave Blips on the phone and under the case, the best solution is sticking the lens on the torch led; it minimally affects the light emission).

You can also use the white soft bumpers of the card to protect the lenses: applying them near the lens you can avoid scratchings.

VIDEO TUTORIAL

LAB KIT USE

Follow these steps to properly use your Lab-Kit:

1. Remove the protective film from the surfaces of the stage components. Mount the stage as indicated in the instructions on the packaging.
2. If you use the Ultra lens, mount the thickest (4mm) transparent support for the prepared slide, in order to reduce the distance between the lens and the slide; this thickest plate is slot with a little inclination. If you use the Micro lens, mount the 3mm-thick transparent plate.
3. Place the smartphone, with your Blips well aligned onto the camera, on the stage.
4. Vertically align the light source under the sample. The light source MUST be aligned with the Blips lens for getting proper imaging.
5. Slightly tilt the smartphone to understand if the sample is too far, or too close to the lens.
6. Shift the smartphone up or down along the sloping part of the stage, in order to find the proper distance between the sample and the lens.
7. If the distance between the lens and the sample is too far, place the provided transparent foils under the glass slide to lift up the sample at the proper distance, as indicated on the card inside the box.
8. Align the light source under the sample and repeat the steps 4-7 until the sample is well in focus. The light should be with highest intensity in the center of the field of view, under the sample.
9. Digitally zoom the sample for performing a fine tuning of the focal distance and of the light alignment; repeat the previous steps, if needed. If the sensor is saturated also when the lens is well aligned, then switch off the external light source and turn on the smartphone torch.

Troubleshooting

EFFECT

CAUSES

SOLUTIONS

Distorted images

Tiny air bubbles or dust under the lens (between lens and glass)

Accurately clean the glass and the rear side of the lens; stick the lens onto the glass, pressing a little bit on it to avoid air bubbles trapping

Blurred images

a. Out of focus
b. Grease on the lens or on the slide
c. Scratched lens surface
d. Misaligned light source

a. Repeat the suggested steps 3-9 and tilt the smartphone in order to find the best working distance
b. Clean the lens and the slide with a piece of cloth
c. In order to avoid this problem, take care not to rub the lenses onto hard materials. As previously stated, you can also use the soft bumpers of the card for further protection
d. Shift the light source under the sample until it is in the center of the field of view

Light saturation

Bad software balancing of the luminosity / short dynamic range

Restart the App, with the light source well aligned under the camera. For few smartphone models the light source may saturate the sensor even with proper positioning. In this case, light up the sample only switching on the torch of the smartphone acting on the flash icon in the BLIPS-SMO application.

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